HR: 1330h
AN: ED22B-1237    [PDF]
TI: The No Child Left Behind Act: Clarifying the Potential Role of Scientists
AU: * Mangan, J M
EM: mangan@email.arizona.edu
AF: Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719
AU: Slater, T F
EM: tslater@as.arizona.edu
AF: Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719
AB: The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 seeks to redefine the role the federal government plays in K-12 education. The four basic principles behind the NCLB's sweeping reform are: stronger accountability for results, increased flexibility and local control, expanded options for parents, and an emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work. Beginning first by focusing on reading and mathematics and then following quickly in science, the full extent to which this act will impact schools is unclear. One clause in this act suggests that math and science achievement will be improved by having school districts forge partnerships with math and science departments at institutions of higher education, including research universities. However, it is also unclear how scientists who are committed to K-12 teacher education should respond to the directives in NCLB. We examine the NCLB Act in depth with the goals of providing a more clear overview of the roles scientists may be expected to take if NCLB becomes the model for education reform and stimulating discussion amongst scientists and educators about how best to rapidly respond to the immediate needs of students, teachers, and schools. Work supported in part by a grant from the Arizona Board of Regents and the Arizona Regents University to the University of Arizona Conceptual Astronomy and Physics Education Research (CAPER) Team at Steward Observatory.
DE: 6605 Education
DE: 6615 Legislation and regulation
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting